NFL Super Bowl Rules

Super Bowl Sunday is considered a national holiday by many NFL fans across the United States. Some say that the national media coverage is blown out of proportion, but true NFL fans are in love with the two weeks that lead up to the big game. Super Bowl parties can last the entire day, or even the entire weekend.

  1. General Rules

    • While the Super Bowl is one of the most exciting events of the year for sports fans, there is not much that sets the game's rules apart from those of any regular season or postseason game. In even-numbered Super Bowls, the AFC is designated as the home team, and in odd-numbered Super Bowls the NFC is the home team. All rules of the regular season apply to the Super Bowl game except for the length of overtime. If the game goes into overtime, the first team to score wins, regardless of how long it takes.

    Super Bowl Location Selection Process

    • The location in which the Super Bowl is played is determined four years in advance. In other words, the sites for the next four Super Bowls have already been determined as of today. In order to host a Super Bowl, a city must make a bid, and NFL owners then assess cities that qualify. They consider and evaluate topics such as stadium quality, the capacity for guest accommodations, restaurants, parking, and stadium and general city security. Bids are typically placed several years in advance, so that the city can complete any construction necessary in order to host an event of such magnitude.